Termites and buying a property

The homes in which we live provide a veritable buffet of delights for a variety of nasty pests.  But of all the unwanted visitors who take up residence in our abodes, none can lead to more disastrous consequences than termites.

Rodents, ants, and roaches feed on the same foods we do and if our homes are filled with scraps of food in hidden corners, these pests will set up shop and feed.  But termites feed on cellulose fibers found in wood and other building materials.  What’s worse, they can remain largely invisible.  Rodents leave a trail and ants and roaches are seen scurrying around in our kitchen cabinets and on our floors.  Termites typically eat from the inside out; resulting in a wood beam that appears solid to the naked eye but is slowly being consumed from within by these devastating insects.

What to do?  If you’re buying a home you need to get a termite inspection, regardless of whether you, the seller, or the real estate agent pays for it.  You can’t afford not to do this!  Check the reputation of the company you select and pay particular attention to their guarantee.  Termites can be hard to detect, even by professionals, so some homeowners can be shocked to later discover they have a termite infestation, even though the initial inspection failed to detect it.  Who pays under these circumstances?

Many home insurance policies do not cover termite damage so if you are buying in an area known to be attractive to termite colonies, add a rider to your homeowners policy.  

Okay, what do you do to protect yourself in your existing home?

First, no matter how capable a “do-it-yourself” expert you are, termites are a job for the professionals.  You can search the Internet for information and advice about termites and there are some valuable things you can do to help prevent termites and to inspect your home for signs that you do.  You’ll even find sites that tell you how to battle termites on your own.  Don’t even think about it!!

There are different kinds of termites that leave different signs and large infestations in late stages may leave telltale signs, but only an expert can see early stages.  If you see little bumps of what looks like mud on the wooden beams in your basement, you probably have termites.  These ingenious little insects eat from the inside out and when a hole appears, they cover it up with dirt and feces in what appears to be an instinctive effort to avoid detection.  

Some termites live in underground nests where they get needed moisture and venture back and forth to a wood source for meals.  They make little mud tunnels to travel concealed.  Large swarms of termites shed their wings so if you see a little pile of white wings around your foundation, you have either termites of flying ants.

Termites need moisture so one preventive measure you can take on your own is to ensure the area around your foundation does not hold excessive moisture.  Proper gutter drainage is essential and any plantings that hold moisture should be cut back or eliminated.  Make sure the ground around your foundation is graded with a downward slope, away from the home.  If you have fireplaces in your home, do not store your firewood along your foundation.

If you’ve never had your home inspected for termites before, you need to do it.  No discussion here; just do it.  The kinds of inspections that a non-professional can undertake to show signs of infestation in almost all cases come too late.  By the time you see mud bumps on your beams, it is highly likely significant damage to the wood within has already taken place.

Most quality pest control companies offer free termite inspections so get several opinions.  Get references and investigate them thoroughly.  You need termite control experts who know what they are doing.